Blade-handling apparatus.



w. E. NICKERSON. BLADE HANDLING APPARATUS. A PPLI CATION HLED MAY 20,1916.,

Patentd Feb.1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- W. E. NICKERSON. vBLADE HANDLING APPARATUS.

S APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1916.v I 1 235 91? Patented Feb. 12,1918;

? 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.-

pair sae PANT @FFTQ.

WILLIAM E. NICKERSON, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOF: TD GILLETTESAFETY RAZOR, COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF DELA-WARE.

BLADE-HANDLING arreiea'ros;

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. llfi 'll llia Applicationfiled May 20, 1916. Serial No. 98,932.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. NicknasoN,-a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBlade-Handling Apparatus, of which the following'is a specification.

This invention relates to a blade-handling mechanism by means of whichsafety razor blades may be taken one by one from a source of supply,transferred to and deposited in a blade holder preparatory to be- .ingsharpened or otherwise acted upon,jand

subsequently removed from the blade holder "and delivered at apredetermined point. The

' specific embodiment of my invention herein- Y after described, whichis pneumatically-operated, is designed to handle thin, doubleede'edblades such as are used in the Gillette safety razor, and isparticularly adapted and intended for use in connection withblade-stropping devices and a pneumatically-operated blade holder of thecharacter shown and described in co-pending applica-v tions for U. S.Letters Patent, Serial Nos.

49,164 and 75,794, the result of the conblades and shifting theirposition, in the blade-transferring device which c'oiiperates with saidstacksupport, and in the means for operating these parts.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my blade-handlingmechanism. as preferably constructed for the specific purpose abovereferred to,

Figure 1 shows the assembled parts mainly in side elevation, but withcertain portions broken away;

Fig. 2 is a partial front elevation; Fig. 3 is a central verticalsection on a larger scale, illustrating the parts which transfer thelolades to and from the blade holder;

Fig. 4 shows the bottom face of a suction block hereinafter described;

Fig. 5 is a top view of said block;

ring mechanism;

indicated by the line 00*00 in Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing asleeve forming a part of the blade-transfer- Fig. 7 is a similar viewshowing the suction block combined with the parts which carry it;

Fig. 8 is mainly a central, vertical sectionon a larger scale,illustrating the support for the blade stacks and its operatingmechanism; and

Fig.9 is a sectional plan view on the plane Fig. 8.

The working parts of the apparatus illus trated are supported by a baseplate 2 which also carries the blade holder to and from which the bladesare transferred one by one and in which they are held while beingstopped. This blade holder is located at the front of the machine, whichis shown at the left hand end of Fig. 1, and comprises a carriage 3movable laterally on the top surface of a bracket 4 bolted to the baseplate 2, an upright pedestal 5 secured to the top of the carriage 3,.and a blade-clamping device secured to the top of the pedestal 5 andincluding a fixedjaw 6 having a horizontal top surface for supporting ablade and an upper jaw 7 hinged thereto and provided with springs 8which automatically lift it to a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2,whenever such movement is permitted. The fixed jaw 6 on whichthe bladesare successively deposited is provided with a pair of upwardly extendingpins 9 spaced to enter the end perforations in a Gillette blade andposition the same with respect 'to the jaws, the upper jaw 7 beingprovided with corresponding perforations 10 which receive the upper endsof the pins 9 when the jaws are closed. Means are also provided forclosing the jaw 7 and holding it in closed position, and for moving theblade holder late'rally toward and away from the stropping device (notshown), which in the complete machine are carried by the base plate 2and located at a short distanceto the left of the blade holder when thelatter occupies the position shown in Fig. 2, in which it is at thelimit of its movement away from said stropping devices. The meansemployed for closing the jaw 7 and for moving the blade holder laterallyare not illustrated herein,

but forpresen-t purposes it may be assumed that these parts are operatedpneumatically as explained in my co-pending application llltl Serial No.75,794, above referred to, which' plate 11 is secured to the upper endof a vertical spindle 13 rotatably mounted in a fixed bracket 14 carriedby the base plate 2, with the two pairs of pins 12 symmetricallyarranged on opposite sides of the vertical axis of the spindle 13 atequal distances therefrom, so that by imparting a half-rotation to thespindle and plate the two pairs of pins can be interchanged in position.This is ,done by means of a horizontal rack 15 which is secured to a rod16 adapted to be moved longitudinally as hereinafter described andmeshes with a segmental gear 17 formed on a sleeve 18 which surroundsand rotates with the spindle 13, being 'journaledin the bracket 14. Therotational movements of the spindle and plate are limited to an angle of180 by a stop flange 19 carried by the sleeve 18 and cooperating withvanother stop flange 20 formed on the upper end of the bracket 14:, asshown in Figs. 8

and 9, and the parts above described are so arranged that when the plateis at either limit of itsrotational movements one or the other of thepairs of pins 12 is located directly behind and in line with thepositioning pins 9 on the lower jaw 6 of the blade holder, as shown inFig. 2, with the upper ends of all of said pins at substantially thesame elevation.

From the supply stack carried by the pins 12, the blades are taken oneby one from the top of the stack and transferred to the blade holderabovedescribed by means of abladetransferring device which is movablehorizontally in a forward and backward direction in line with anddirectly above the pins 9 and the pins 12 behind them. and inasmuch asthe pins which receive the delivery stack of blades can be interchangedin position with the'pins'which carry the supply stack, the sametransferring device serves also to take the finished blades from theblade holder and deposit them one by one on the delivery stack. In theparticular apparatus illustrated, which is designed to opere ate ondouble-edged blades, the same transferring device is also utilizedfor-reversing the blades edge for edge with respect to the blade holder,which is done by so constructing said device that it can be rotatedthrough an angle of 180 on an axis perpendicular to the center of ablade carried thereby. The details of the construction employed areillustrated in Figs. 3 to 7 incluand 25 indicates an upright headsecured to The said pins.

sive, in which 21 indicates a tube mounted to slide horizontally in aforward and backward direction in fixed brackets 22 and 23 on a frame 24carried by the base plate 2,

theifront end of the tube 21 and provided with a vertical bearing inwhich is j ournaled a sleeve 26 surrounding a vertical spindle 27. Tothelower end of'the spindle 27 is attached a transverse plate 28carrying a.

' suction block 29 which, as shaped for use with a Gillette blade, hastwo" annular grooves 30 extending upward from its flat bottom face andsymmetrically located on opposite'side's of the axis of the spindle-27,

perforations 36 leading to a similarannular groove 37 formed on theexterior of the sleeve, which groove 37 is in communication with theinterior of the tube 21 through the open front end of the latter. At itsrear end said tube 21 is provided with a nipple 38 adapted to beconnected to a flexible tube through which air may be exhausted in anysuitable way, the suction thus created being made effective at thebottom face of the block 29 through the communicating passages providedby the tube 21:, groove 37,

perforations 36, groove 34, perforation 35, 105

passage 33, chamber 32, passages 31 and grooves 30 above described. Itwill be seen that these passages are so arran ed that the sleeve 26 andthe spindle 27 car? be rotated with respect to the head 25 and thespindle 110 can be moved vertically with respect to the SlBBX B to alimited extent without in either case affecting the communicationbetween the interior of the tube 21 and the annular grooves 30.

The head 25 and the parts carried thereby are moved forward and backwardby a rod 39 connected to said head, and when the latter is in itsrearmost position the suction block 29 is located directly over a pair120 of pins 12 as shown in Fig. 3, in which 40- represents a stack ofblades carried by The bottom face of the block 29 is brought intocontact with the topmost blade in the supply stack by a rela- 125 tivevertical movement of the plate 11 and said block, which is provided withverti calperfdrations 41 located in position to receive thecorresponding pins 12 and extending upward into the head 25 far enough130 .111 position to surround concentrically the -end perforations intheblades. These grooves 30 communicate through passages I newer? toreceive the full length of said pins. Thus the annular grooves 30, whichare concentric" .with the end perforations in the blades and thereforewith the pins 12 and perforations 41, are closed by the topmost bladein-the stack when brought into contact therewith, so that the blade willbe held against the block .29- ifsubjected tois done by means of astirrup 42 pivotally' suspended on the front ends of two bell cranklevers 43' and .44 fulcrumed on the bracket 14 and oivotally'connectedat their opposite ends to the forked front end of a longitudinallymovable rod 45, with the lower end of the spindle 13 resting on thehorizontal bottom portion of the stirrup 42 and connected thereto by avertical pivot screw 46, so that the spindle can be rotated thereon.Said spindle and the sleeve 18 are connected by a spline 47 whichcompels them to rotate simultaneously vbut permits the spindle to moveupward and downward independently of the 'sleeve,'which is supported onthe bracket 14 by the stop flange 19 and is held down by the rack15;over lying said flange, the rack being prevented from moving upwardby an overhanging guide 48 carried by the'bracket 14a t The spindle 27and suction block 29 are also arranged to move upward and downward to aslight extent in order that said block may be lowered to deposit a bladeon the fixed jaw 6 of the blade holder or to pick up and remove a bladetherefrom. These upward and downward movements are produced by a bellcrank lever 49 fulcrumed on the head 25 and operated by a rod 50 pivotedto said lever, the forked end of which is notched to receivediametricallyopposite pins 51 carried by a horizontal disk 52 which ismounted on a pivot screw 53 entering the upper end of the spindle 27,

so that the latter is free to rotate axially. For imparting rotationalmovements to said spindle and the suction'block 29 carried thereby Iemploy an arrangement similar to that used for rotating the spindle 13and plate 11, and comprising a horizontal rack 54 secured to alongitudinally-movable rod 55 and meshing with a segmental gear 56formed on the upper end of the sleeve 26.

This sleeve is provided at its lower end with downwardly-extendingportions 57, the vertical inner faces of which are in sliding engagementwith the flattened sides of the attaching hub 58- on the plate 28, (seeFigs.

6 and 7,) whereby the rotation of said sleeve is transmitted to thespindle 27 without interfering with 'the relative upward and downwardmovements of the latter. The

rotational movements of said sleeve and spindle are limited to an angleof 180 by means of coiiperating stop flanges identical in constructionand arrangement withthe stop flanges 19 and 20 previously described,

the stop flange on the sleeve 26 being shown at 59 in Figs. 1 and 3.

It will be observed that-the various movements of the plate 11 andthesuction block 29 are imparted theretothrough the agency of the rods16, 39, 45, 50 and 55 above referred to all of which extend horizontallyin a forward and backward direction, this construction being adoptedbecause it enablessaid parts to be operatedpneumatically by a series ofcylinders compactly arranged in parallelism with one another and eachcontaining a piston connected to the corresponding one of the severalrods. As shown in Fig. 1,'the rod 16' carries at its rear end a piston60 adapted to movelongitudinally in a cylinder 61 provided with a nipple62 I leading to its interior behind the piston, through which nipplecompressed air can be let into the cylinder to force the piston forward.A coiled spring 63 surrounding the rod 16 within the cylinder 61 movessaid piston androd backward when the air pressure behind the piston'isrelieved. Tn like manner the rod 39 carries a piston 61 movablelongitudinally in a cylinder 65, the rod 45carries a piston 66 movablelongitudinally in a cylinder 67, the rod 50 carries a piston 68 movablelongitudinally in a cylinder 69 and the rod 52 carries a piston 70movable longitudinally in a cylinder 71, all of these pistons beingmoved forward by the admission of compressed air through the nipples 72,73, 7 1 and 75 on the rear ends of the respectivecylinders and beingmoved backward respectively by the compression springs 76, 77-78 and 79surrounding the corresponding rods." Thecylinder 65 is carried by thebracket 23 and held in fixed position thereby, but-the cylinders 69 and71 are secured to a bracket 80 rigidly clamped on the tube 21 andtherefore move with the head 25 which carries the spindle 27, so thatsaid spindle can be rotated and moved vertically at either limit of itsforward and backward travel. The cylinders 61 and 67 are rigidly securedto a fixed bracket 81 carried by the base plate 2 at one sideof theframe 24. Casings 82, 83, 84:, 85 and 86, carried respectively by thefront ends of the cylinders 61, 65, 67, 69 and 71' and constituting inefiect reduced extensions thereof serve to receive the front portions ofthe corresponding springs 63, 76, 77 78 and 79.

When the apparatus above described is in use each of the nipples 62, 72,73, 74: and 75 is connect-ed by a flexible tube to a suitable supply ofcompressed air, and provision is made for admitting the compressed airto any one of the cylinders and per- I mitting it to escape therefrom,as well as for establishing and relieving the suction in the tube 21, insuch manner that the apparatus operates as follows: Starting with theparts.

in the position shown in Fig. 1,-and assuming that a supply stack of theblades to be stropped is carried by'those pins 12 which are .locatedbeneath the suction block 29, the

plate 11 is raised until the top ofthe supply stack is pressed againstthe bottom face of said block, which at this time is held in itsuppermost position by the spring 78, and thereupon the topmost blade inthe stack iscaused to adhere to the block 29 by suction. The plate 11 isthen lowered, carrying with it the remaining blades in the supply stack,and then the. head moves forward until the. end perforations in theblade held against the suction block '29 are located directly above thepositioning pins 9, whereupon the block 29 moves downward and depositsthe blade on the lower jaw 6 of the blade holder. .The block 29 thenrises and the head 25 carries it back to its position above the pins 12,and at the same time the bladeleft on the jaw 6 is clamped in the bladeholder and moved into position'to be stropped. While the stroppingoperation is going on the other parts of the apparatus remain idle, butas soon as the exposed blade edge has been stropped and the blade holderhas been returned to the position shown in Fig. 2. and opened the head25 moves forward and the blade is picked up from the lower jaw 6 by theblock 29, reversed edge for edge by imparting a half rotation to thespindle 27 and again deposited on the jaw 6,

- whereupon the head 25, spindle 27 and block 29 are returned to theposition first described, and the blade is clamped in the blade holderand again presented to the stropping devices until its remaining edgehas been stropped. Then, after the blade holder has been returned to theposition shown in.

Fig. 2 and opened, the head 25 moves forward once more and the blade isremoved from the jaw 6 by the block 29, and at about the same time ahalf-rotationis imparted to the plate-11, whereby the two pairs of pins1 12 and the 'bladestacks which they carry are interchanged in position.The head Y25 and block 29 then move back to their initial position,carrying the stropped blade with them, and the blade is deposited on thetop of the delivery stack by lowering the spindle 27 the suction block29, whatever the height of blades.

The blade-transferring mechanism above I described can be operatedotherwisethan pneumatically if desired, but pneumatic opamong which maybe mentioned the facility in which-the power for operating the spindle27 is applied thereto through flexible connections in any position ofthe head 25, and the possibility of operating a large number ofidentical machines simultaneously by employing common sources ofcompressed air and of suction for all of them, with a; single controlfor regulating the admission and'releaseof the compressed air pressureand for establishing and relieving the suction forall-the .machines.Pneumatic operation is also advantageous in the case of parts whichhave'an indeterminate movement, such as the plate 11 for example, whichis moved upward until the topmost blade in the supply' stack is pressedagainst the stack may be at any given time. The air pressure whichproduces this movement also forces said blade into such close contactwith the block 29 as to insure its retention by the block when thesuction is exerted, and the same result is secured in like manner whenthe block 29 moves downward to pick up a blade from the lower jaw 6 ofthe blade holder. When said block 29 is lowered to place a stroppedblade on the pins 12 its downward movement is lim ted by the engagementof a stop finger 87 on the lever 49 with the bracketwhich supports saidlever. but it will be obvious that the stropped blades can be placed onthe pins 12 by elevating the plate 11 instead of lowering the block 29,if preferred. The forward movement of the head 25 is positively arrestedby the engagement of a.- collar 88 clamped on the tube 21 with the Irear face of the fixed bracket 22. and its rearward movement is arrestedby the simultaneous engagement of saidhead and the bracket 80 with thefront faces of the brackets 22 and 23, washers 89 being preferably wardmovement the suction block 29 is properly positioned abovethe lower jaw6 of the blade holder, and in order to prevent shock such as might causea blade carried by the 80 eration is preferable for various reasons,

the collar 88'brings up against the bracket 22 I employ a checkingdevice such as is shown in detail in Fig. 3, in which 90 indicates anipple entering the otherwise closed front end of the casing 83 andcarrying a ball valve 91 so arranged that air is freely admitted throughthe nipple when the piston 64 moves backward but is compressed 1n frontof the piston when the latter is forced forward by the admission ofcompressed air behind it. The air thus compressed infront of the pistonpasses slowly out of the casing 83 through a small p erforation'92, sothat it checks the forward movement of the piston without preventing itsultimate completion,

It will be evident that my apparatus may be readily adapted to handlevarious blades other than Gillette blades, in which case theblade-positioning devices employed will be constructed and arranged insuch manner as to accommodate the particular style of blade -to behandled, and that if such blades are single-edged the provision ofmeansfor reversing them edge for edge will be unnecessary. It will also beevident that thebladetransferring mechanism may be used in' variousmachines'other than blade-stropping machines and may be employed tocarry blades to and from any form of blade holder or equivalent-device'adapted to receive the blades one by one, and that the construction ofthis mechanism and of the blade stack support and-its operating devicesmay be widely modified without de arting from my invention.

1. In ablade-handling apparatus, the com bination of a blade supporthaving means for positioning supply and delivery stacks of bladesthereon, and.means for moving the support laterally to bring each stackin alternation intothe position previously occupied by the other.

2. In a blade-handling apparatus, the combination of a blade supporthaving means for positioning supply and delivery stacksof'bladeswthe'reon, means for moving the' support laterally to bringeach stack in 50 alternation into the position previously occu-' pied bythe other, and means for raising and lowering the support.

3. Ina blade-handling apparatus, the combination of a blade supportmounted to rotate on-a' vertical axis and provided with means forpositioning supply and delivery stacks of blades" thereon at equaldistances from and on opposite sides of its axis of ro tation, and meansfor rotating said support to interchange the positions of the stacks.

4. In a blade-handling apparatus, the com-. bination of a blade supportprovided with pairs of upwardlyextending positioning pins, and means formoving the support laterally to bring either pair of pins into a all;

position previously occupied by the other all. I i

p 5. In ablade-handling apparatus, the combination of a blade supportmounted to rotate on avertical axis and provided with two pairs ofupwardly extending positioning pins located at equal distances from itsaxis of rotation, means for rotating said support, and means for raisingand lowering it.-'

- 6. In a blade-handling apparatus, a bladereversing device comprisingmeans for enraising and lowering the spindle.

9. In a blade-handling apparatus, a-bladetransferring device comprisinga laterallymovable head, a rotatable spindle movable vertically thereinand carrying a downwardly-facing suction block at its lower end, meansforrotating the spindle, and means for raising and lowering it.

' 10. In a blade-handling apparatus, a blade-transferring devicecomprising a laterallyanovable head, a vertical sleeve journaledtherein, a spindle movable vertically in the sleeve and carrying adownwardlyfacing suction block at its lower end, means for raising andlowering the spindle, and means for rotating the sleeve and spindle.

11. In a blade-handling apparatus, a blade-transferring devicecomprising a laterallyanovable head, a spindle movable verticallytherein and provided at its lower end with means for engaging a bladeand holding it in a horizontal plane, and means movable with the headfor raising and lowering the spindle.

12. In a blade handling apparatus, a blade-transferring devicecomprising a laterally-movable head, a rotatable spindle movablevertically therein and provided at its.'lower end with means forengaging a blade and holding it in a horizontal plane, and means movablewith ,the head for rotating the spindle and for raising and loweringit.v w

13. In a blade-handling apparatus, the combination of a blade supporthaving means for positioning supply and delivery stack of bladesthereon, a blade-transferring device movable laterally above the supportand including means for taking single blades from the supply stack andfor deits 45 face, and means for raising and lowering the ring deviceincluding a downwardly-facing suction block movable laterally above thesupport, means for raising and lowering said support, and means formovlng 1t laterally to bring either stack beneaththesuc- 7 tion block. v

I means for moving it laterallyto bring either.

15, In a blade-handling apparatus, the

combination of a blade support having two pairs of upwardly-extendingPOSHLIOIIIIIg plns thereon, a blade-transferring device including adownwardly-facing suction block movable laterallyaboive thesupport,means for raising and lowering said support, and

pair of positioning pins beneath the suction block, the latter ,beingprovided witlrup- 'wardly-exten tling recesses to receive said 1 pins.

16. "In a, blade-handlingapparatus, the combination of a blade-supporthaving two j pairs of upwardly-extending positioning PlIlS t hereon,ablade-transferring device in- 5 eluding 'aQdOWnWardly-facing suctionblock movable laterally above the support, means vfor raisingand-lowering said support, means formoving it laterally to bringeitherpair of pins beneath the suction block, the latter being provided with'upwardl -extending recesses to recelve sald plus, an means for raisingand lowering the suction block.

17. In a blade-handling apparatus, the combination of ablade-clampingdevice havinga horizontal lower jaw and means forpositioning a blade thereon, a blade-transferring device movablelaterally above said jaw and including a suction block adapted to retaina blade placed against its bottom suction block.

, '18. In a blade-handling apparatus, the combination of a bladeclampingdevlce hav-.

ing a horizontal lower jaw with upwardly-v extending positioning p1nsthereon, a bladetransferring device movable laterally above said jaw andincluding a suction block adapted to retain a blade placedagainstitsbottom face and having recesses to'recelve said positioning pins, andmeans for raising and lowerin the suction block'.

19. In a il'ilade-handlingapparatus, the combinationjof a blade-clampingdevice having a horizontal lower jaw with upwardlyextending positioningpins thereon, a blade-' transferring device movable laterally above saidjaw and including a suction block adapted to retain a blade placedagainst its bottom face and having recesses to receive ferring deviceinto for positioning. single blades thereon, a

blade-transferring device movable laterally above the blade support andblade'holder ,andlhaving means for. taking a blade from either, andmeans for bringing the transengagement with a blade beneath it. Y

21. In a blade-handling apparatus, the combination of a blade supporthaving -n1eans for positioning a'supply stack of blades thereon, a bladeholder having means i'or positioning s1ngle blades thereon, a

blade-transferring device including a sue,

tion block movable laterally above the blade supportand blade holder andadapted to retain a blade on itsvbctitom vface, and means for bringingthe suction block into contact with a blade-on the blade holder or onthe top of the supply stack.

22. In a blade-handling apparatus, the combination of a blade supporthaving means for positioning supply and delivery stacks of bladesthereon, a blade holder having means for positioning single bladesthereon, a blade-transferring device movable laterally above the bladesupport and blade holderand having'means for taking a blade, fromeither, means for bringing the transi'erring deviceinto engagement witha blade beneath it, and means for, presenting either thesupply stack orthe delivery stack beneaththe blade-transferring device.

23. In a blade-handling apparatus, the combination of a blade supporthaving means-for positioning supply and delivery stacks of bladesthereon,- a blade holder having means for positioning single bladesthereon, a blade-transferring device including a suction block movablelaterally above the blade support and blade holder and adapted to retaina blade on its bottom face,

means for raising and lowering the blade support and the suction block,and means 'for presenting either the supply stack or the delivery stackbeneath the suction'block.

24:. In a blade-handling apparatus, the I combination of a blade supporthaving means for positioning-supply and delivery stacks of bladesthereon, a blade holder having means for positioning single bladesthereon, a blade-transferring device including a suction block movablelaterally above .the blade support and blade holder and adapted toretain a blade on its bottom face, means for raising and lowering theblade support and the suction block, means for presenting either thesupply stack or the portion provided with upwardly extending positioningpins spaced in correspondence with the p1ns on the blade support, abladetransferring device including a suction block movable laterallyabove the blade support and the horizontal portion of the blade holderand adapted to retain a blade on its bottom face, said suction blockbeing provided with recesses to receive said pins, means for raising andlowering the blade support, and means for independently raising andlowering the suction block.'

26. In a blade-haiidling apparatus, the

combination of a blade support having a pair of upwardly-extendingpositioning pins thereon, a blade holder having a horizontal portionprovided with upwardly-extending positioning pins spaced incorrespondence vwith the pins on the blade support, a bladetransferringdevice including a suction block movable laterally above the bladesupport and the horizontal portion of the blade holder andadapted to;retain a blade on its bottom face, said suction block being providedwith recesses to receivesaidpins, means for raising and lowering thestack support, means for independently raising and lowering the suctionblock, and means for rotating-the suction block on a vertical axis.

27. In a blade-handling apparatus, the combination of a blade supporthaving two pairs of upwardly-extending positioning pins thereon, a'bladeholder having a horizontal portion provided with a pair ofupwardly-extending positioning pins spaced in correspondence with thepins on the blade support, a blade-transferring device including asuction block movable laterally above the blade support and thehorizontal portion of the blade holder and adapted to retain a blade onits bottom face, said block being provided with recesses to recelveelther pair oisaid pins, means for ra1s1ng andlowermg the blade supportand the suction block, and

means for moving the blade support laterally to bring either pair of itspositioning pins beneath the suction block.

28. In a blade-handling apparatus, the

combination of a blade support having two,

pairs of upwardly-extending positioning pins thereon, a blade holderhaving a horizontal portion provided with a pair of upwardly-extendingpositioning pins spaced in correspondence with the pins on the bladesupport, a blade-transferring device includ ing a suction block movablelaterally above the blade support and the horizontal portion of theblade holder and adapted to retain a blade on its bottom face, saidblock being provided with recesses to receive either pair of said pins,means for raising and lowering the blade support and the suction block,means for moving the blade support laterally to bring either pair of itspositioning pins beneath the suction block, and means for rotating thesuction block on a vertical axis pass ing throughthe center of a bladecarried thereby.

29. In a blade-handling apparatus, the combination of a blade support, ablade holder, a blade-transferring device movable from one to the otherand including means for taking a blade from either, and means foroperating the blade-transferring device comprising a cylinder with apiston therein and connections between the piston and blade-transferringdevice.

30. In a blade-handling apparatus, the combination of alaterally-movable head, a downwardly-facing suction block carriedthereby, means for operating the head comprising a pneumatic cylinilerwith a piston therein and connections between the piston and head, astop for positively limiting the movement of the head, anda checkingdevice for retarding such movement.

31. In a blade-handling apparatus, the

and provided at its lower end with means i for engaging a blade andholding it in a horizontal plane, and pneumatically-operat'ed meansmovable with the head for imparting vertical and rotational movements tothe spindle.

In ablade handling apparatus, the combination of a laterally-movablehead, an upright spindle carried thereby and provided at its lower endwith a downwardlyfacing suction block, pneumatically-oper -ated meansfor moving the head laterally,

and pneumatically-operated means movable with the head for impartingvertical move ments to the spindle.

34. In a blade-handling apparatus, the combination of alaterally-n'iovable head, a rotatable upright spindle carried therebyand provided at its lower end with a clownwardly-facing suction block,pneumatically- 1.

operated means for moving the head laterally, and pneumatically-operatedmeans movable with the head for imparting inclependent vertical androtational movements to the spindle.

, ing the bla i '35. In a blade-handling apparatus, the combination of ablade support having means for positionin a supply stack of bladesthereon a bla e-transferrin'g device located above the support andpneumati-" cally-operated means' for-iii inn the support to bring thetopmost blade in the stack into engagement with the transferringdevice.-

36. In a. blade-handlin apparatus, the combination of-a rotatab e andverticallymovable blade support having means forpositioning supply anddelivery stacks Of' blades thereon,"a laterally-movablebladeti-ansferring device located above the support and'pr'ovided withmeans for taking blades one by one from the top of the supply stack, andmeans for operating the. blade support and-blade-transferring devicecomprising a series of pneumatic cylinders each containing a pistonconnectedto the part to be operated thereby.

87. In a blade-handling .'apparatus,'the

combination of a rotatable and verticallymovable blade support havingmeans for.

ositioning supply and delivery stacks of ladesthereon," a;laterally-movable bladetransferrin device located. above the sup:

' spindle.

' 'May lQIG.

vice and spindle comprising aseries of pneumatic cylinders eachcontaining a piston connected to the part to be operated thereby,

the cylinder for operating the'spindle being ring device. n v

38. In a blade-handling japparatus,gthe combination of a fixed support,a horizontal tube arranged'to slide longitudinallytheremovable laterallywith the blade-transfer- 1 in, an upright head carriedv by said tube, a

spindle movable vertically therein, a suctio'n block carried'by thelowerend of the spindle and provided withsuction spacesin communicationwith the interior of thetube, and pneumatically-operated means carriedby said' tube for imparting vertical movements to the spindle,

39. In. a 1 blade-handling appa-ratus, the combination of afixed-"supporha horizontal tube arranged to slide longitudinallytherein,--an uprighthead-carried b said tube,'a r0-tatablespindleg'movable.vert1cally 'therein, a

suction block carried by. the lower end ofthe spindle-and provided withsuction'spaces in communication with the interior of the tube,

and 'pneumatically-opera'ted means carried by said tube for' impartingindependent vertical and rot'ational movements {to the Signed tit-Baing. flu-ass,"this 19thday of ILLIA E. NICKERSON.

